He cracked his neck. He wasn’t used to this. Usually the girls he dated were okay with taking things at a relatively quick pace. No, with Snow, he needed to take things slow.
She was too good for him. He knew this.
He wanted her in his life. There was something comfortable about her. It was why he proposed the business deal. Then he’d get to see her on a regular basis. But could he do that and not pursue things any further?
He was playing with fire. He pulled into the parking lot of his condo and sat in the car for a long time. He didn’t know what to do next. They were meeting Monday to go over business plans, but every time he looked at her, he saw her as more than a business partner.
He thought about her every second of the day. He didn’t know how to just be her friend. He also didn’t know what she wanted with him. It’d been easy when he thought she was engaged, but now.
He had to know how she felt, and he’d lost his opportunity to see what her reaction would have been tonight. He could’ve gauged things on the strip. If he’d taken her hand or pulled her close, he would’ve known right away what she wanted. Now the prospect that there was even a possibility with her tormented him.
He stalked up to his place. He’d called her sexy, and she hadn’t reacted. He half laughed. Well, a sexy grandma. In fact she’d played like she was still engaged.
No woman had ever drove him crazy like she did. He had no clue what he was going to do.
He did know one thing. He was going to carry that damn ring he bought with him whenever they were together because the second she showed any interest he was going to get that kiss.
Chapter 27
Liz bailed on Jenny. She just couldn’t get into a conversation about Adam, not with her thoughts so tormented.
She lay awake for two hours before she gave it up as a lost cause and pulled out her phone and stared at Adam’s contact. She took a deep breath and typed.
You awake?
She’d never get any rest until she knew why he reacted the way he did. Adam’s answer came surprisingly quick.
Yeah.
Liz decided to go for it.
I’m trying to figure out why you’re mad at me.
What makes you think that?
You didn’t say anything on the drive home. In fact you didn’t say anything after I told you I broke things off with Tanner.
She waited for a response for what felt like forever. None came.
Adam? See. This is what I mean.
What do you want me to say?
He could say whatever he damn wanted to say. She just wanted him to say something. She was scared to tell him how she felt. I don’t know. But as soon as I bring it up, you clam up.
It makes things awkward. Like, as long as you were engaged, you were just a friend. If you’re not engaged, then what are we?
I guess we need to figure that out. But we can’t do that if you don’t talk to me. She was being hypocritical, she knew that. She wanted to hear his point of view before she put her heart out there.
She waited another long moment. He was infuriating.
I’m going house hunting tomorrow. You wanna come?
She almost said no. He still hadn’t answered her question. To be honest though, how could she turn him away? She’d take whatever she could get with him.
Yeah, I’m going out to breakfast with a friend first though.
I’ll pick you up around eleven. That okay?
Sure.
That was the end of the conversation apparently. No more gray dots at the bottom of the screen. Liz stared at her phone until the screen darkened, and her eyes slowly fell closed. Her last thought was how wonderful it would be if she was in a tent, listening to the sounds of the ocean, with Adam sleeping next to her.
“Time to spill on the month you spent with that sex toy.” Jenny’s brown eyes sparkled as she dug into her Denny’s bacon and eggs.
“Stop. We’re friends. It’s crazy how much I’ve come to value that. He’s going to help me out with my shop.”
“Yeah, right. I saw those Instagram posts. He’s in love. You just can’t see it yet. How could you stand it? I would’ve been all over him the second I had the chance. Tanner or no Tanner.”
Liz shrugged. “I don’t know.” Jenny was like that. She wasn’t.
“Sorry, I shouldn’t have brought up Tanner.”
“It’s okay. I’m actually totally fine with that. We weren’t right for each other.” Liz had to get away from Jenny for a few moments. She wouldn’t stop talking about Adam. “I’ll be right back.”
In the bathroom she splashed water on her face and reapplied her lipstick. She’d never felt so conflicted in her life. She was crazy about Adam, but she couldn’t show that until she knew how he felt. She didn’t want to get hurt.
Jenny was all smiles at the table.
“What?”
“Check it out.” She shoved her phone in Liz’s face. It was a picture of a diamond ring in hand with the caption Popping the question. Think she’ll say yes?
“Who’s that?”
“Adam, you dolt. Aren’t you seeing him today?”
She felt the blood drain from her face. He’d probably reconciled with his ex or something. She’d lost her chance. Maybe when he asked himself what he wanted, he realized he knew the answer.
And it wasn’t her.
No wonder he’d gone weird on her.
She tried not to let Jenny see her disappointment. “I wonder who the girl is.”
“It’s you.”
“No. It’s not. Trust me on this.” She popped a hash brown in her mouth. “We’re not even dating.”
“Do you still have that stupid rule about kissing?”
“Yeah.”
“That’s what the ring is for. We’re doing breakfast tomorrow as well and that ring is going to be on your finger.”
“Who says I want to marry him?”
“Your expression.”
Liz looked down at her phone. Adam would be at her house in moments. “I gotta go.”
“See you here tomorrow. You’re buying breakfast if I’m right.”
Liz nodded absentmindedly.
She clutched the steering wheel all the way home. She was prepared to be just friends with Adam, but things get tricky when you’re friends with the opposite sex, and they’re engaged or married. At least they’d be business partners…even though that could be incredibly painful if she never got over him.
She needed to brace herself for this. She needed to show him she was happy for him. If she could be a good friend, they might be able to salvage what they had.
His car was already in the driveway when she got home, but he wasn’t in it. She looked at the clock. It was only ten forty-five.
She scrambled out of the Range Rover and inside. Adam was sitting at the kitchen table with her father, both had beers in hand.
“Little early for a beer, isn’t it?” she asked with a laugh.
“I’m anxious to get started on the next chapter in my life.” Adam beamed.
“Yeah, buying a house is a big deal.” For most. For Adam, she was a bit curious why he was that excited. It wasn’t like he hadn’t had his own place before. But she supposed he was ready for a life out from under his dad’s influence.
“You ready to go?” he asked.
“Sure. Thanks for keeping him entertained, Dad.”
“No problem. Adam and I had a good talk.”
“How long have you been here?” she asked him.
“About an hour.” He shared a look with her father. Had she gotten the time wrong? She could have sworn he said eleven. Adam jumped to his feet. “Let’s go.” He held the door open for her and waved goodbye to her father. “Thanks for the beer.”
“Anytime.”
Adam was all smiles in the car. “You ready?”
“Sure.” She eyed him sideways. “You’re in a good mood.”
“Well, this is the beginning of my new life, you know. One that doe
sn’t involve decisions my father has made for me.”
They rode in silence for a good half hour before he pulled up to the private airport. The silence was comfortable as they had spent so much time in a car together.
“Why are we here?” she asked.
“Because I’m not buying a house in Vegas. I want one on the coast. Northern California or southern Oregon.”
He held her door open for her and led her out to a private jet. Of course.
He handed her a stack of papers when she settled in the soft leather seat. “These are the ones I’m looking at. Tell me what you think.”
She flipped through the stack. All the houses were gorgeous and perched right on the water.
“They’re all beautiful.”
“Which one is your favorite?”
“My favorite doesn’t really matter.” She desperately wanted to blurt out that she knew about his pending engagement and ask who the lucky girl was, but she knew it’d come out bitter and angry. She reminded herself to breathe.
“Sure it does. Your opinion matters me.”
The plane landed, and a sleek black Mercedes with tinted windows waited for them. A driver opened the door, and she and Adam slid in the back seat together. For a man who just lost his fortune, he still lived a luxurious life.
“You know, I can’t figure out why you never stood up to your father earlier. You still live like a king.”
Adam shrugged. “It wasn’t ever about the money. I wanted him to be proud of me, you know. And it turns out, I think he is. Whether I work for him or not, I think he’s okay with either. Though he would definitely prefer that I work for him.”
They settled into an easy conversation. It was fun house hunting with Adam. A few times she even forgot that this was only for him. The houses were beautiful.
Liz knew she was in love with the third house before they even stepped out of the car. This house was secluded, and after entering through a private gate, they wound down a tree-lined path. The house was mostly a log home with stone accents.
Adam climbed out of the car behind her. She could barely move.
“It’s gorgeous, isn’t it?” he asked.
Liz nodded, speechless.
She crossed the threshold and walked through the short hallway to a massive great room with a panoramic view of the ocean. The previous owners left it decorated, and there were three living areas and a sharp kitchen. Everything was made of wood and granite.
Adam was quiet as he approached a window that overlooked the ocean and patio.
“Definitely setting up a fire pit out there.”
Liz couldn’t respond.
“S’mores every night, don’t you think?” Adam asked.
Liz gave him a forced smile. “Yeah, that would be nice. You even know how to start a fire now.”
He chuckled. “I do.”
They climbed up the stairs and found a few bedrooms decorated for kids. Adam picked up a teddy bear. “What are your thoughts on kids?”
Liz shrugged. “When I’m ready. What about you?” she forced herself to ask.
“Well, this house has room for at least ten, so I’m thinking I should probably start sooner rather than later.”
She wanted this to be her house. Her life. Not some other woman’s. Liz felt herself losing it. She wouldn’t be able to keep this up much longer. She slipped out the door and went into another room, which was a mistake. She’d found the master suite, which looked nearly as big as the great room. An enormous fireplace sat on one wall. The view of the ocean was stunning, and French doors opened to large deck.
Adam put his hand on her back, and she jumped.
“I think this is the one,” Adam said. “What do you think?”
Liz spun on him, knowing the tears were in her eyes, but she was unable to hide them any longer. “I can’t do this.”
“Do what?”
“Pick out a house for you and your new wife. Why am I here instead of her?”
He creased his eyebrows. “New wife? What are you talking about?”
“Instagram. ‘Popping the question.’” She put in air quotes.
Adam laughed, and she felt instantly foolish. She turned and took two steps before Adam grabbed her arm and pulled her into him. Her chest pressed against his.
She was reminded of all the nights and mornings in their shared tent. Those last few days when she wished he could hold her. She was such a fool.
She took a step back, but Adam didn’t let her get far.
“I didn’t think you had an Instagram.”
“I don’t. Jenny showed me.”
“I should’ve thought about that. Who, exactly, do you think I was proposing to?”
“Your ex-girlfriend. You’ve turned a new leaf. How am I supposed to know?”
“And this bothers you, why?”
“Why do you think it bothers me? I stupidly thought maybe there was something between us.”
“There is.”
“Then why are you torturing me like this?”
“Because I needed to know before I made a fool of myself.”
“So it’s okay if I make a fool of myself?”
“It’s adorable.” Adam smiled wide, and man did Liz want to kiss those lips and punch him at the same time.
Instead, she crossed her arms. “Can you explain what’s going on?”
“I can do better than explain.”
Adam dropped to one knee and kept Liz’s hand clasped in his. With the other hand, he fished out a ring and held it up.
“Snow, will you marry me?”
Liz felt light headed and her head spun with emotion. Of course all the signs pointed here, but she was too scared to hope that this could be a potential outcome. She looked into Adam’s eyes, and memories of their weeks together flooded her. Was a few weeks enough to know that forever was real?
She’d spent several years with Tanner and in the end had to admit it wasn’t going to work. Tanner never made her swoon or caused the butterflies to multiply like crazy in her stomach. He hadn’t encouraged her to go after her dreams or make sure nothing was in her way. He hadn’t believed in her.
Adam did.
And for all those reason and more, she loved him.
Questions and worry swam behind Adam’s eyes. She squealed and said, “Yes, Adam. Nothing would make me happier.”
He slid the ring on her finger and stood up, drawing her into him.
“Not going to lie, I wish I got the first kiss.”
“Technically, you did.”
He smirked. “I guess, I did.”
“And you’ll definitely get the last.”
He leaned down. Those butterflies exploded in her stomach as his lips caressed hers. His strong hand held the small of her back and pressed her closer to him. He held the back of her head and deepened the kiss. Maybe Adam had stolen the first kiss, and Tanner had received the first kiss she willingly gave, but this kiss would forever be her real first kiss. The others just didn’t compare.
This kiss was filled with emotion, feeling, love. It was possessive, yet caring and gentle. It was what she wanted her forever to look like. And she wanted that forever with Adam.
Suddenly, she realized she was a bit unsure about what the next step was.
She pulled back, and they took a moment to catch their breath. Liz smiled at the red lipstick that stained the corner of Adam’s lip. She wiped it away. “You’re buying the house, right?”
“Only if it’s the one you want.”
She pretended to think about it, but couldn’t contain her excitement. “It’ll do.” She beamed.
“We should probably see if they need an all-female mechanic shop around here. This could be the location for the second branch,” he said.
Liz wrapped her arms around his neck and looked up into the eyes of the man she loved. “I think that’s a fabulous idea, business partner.”
“Can the business partner get another kiss?”
“I don’t know what you
’re waiting for.”
He leaned down and kissed her lips. She wove her arms tighter around his neck and pulled him close. She knew she’d made the right choice. She was also quite certain, that she would never waste another kiss.
The End
Check out the first book in the Omega Mu Alpha Brothers Series
Snowfall and Secrets
Chapter 1
Tess had made a lot of mistakes in her short life. She thought she got it out of her system after high school, but apparently at twenty-five, she was still as dumb as she was at eighteen. Maybe more. This was definitely the stupidest thing she’d ever done.
After the plane touched down on the nearly frozen northern Michigan runway, she turned her phone on and discovered twenty messages from her mother and four sisters. They all said the same thing.
“Come home.”
She’d lived in Southern Florida her entire life. But she had to get away from there. Though she sure picked a crappy time of year. The second week of January wasn’t exactly smart.
Passengers at the tiny airport disembarked down a stairway instead of into the airport. As she stepped off the plane, she knew she made not one big mistake, but two. Prior to this moment, she’d never been in weather under forty degrees. This was probably below zero. She wasn’t prepared for cold like this.
The wind bit at her face and hands as she ran for the airport. She had gloves on, but they were useless against the chill. Lost in thought, she waited for her bags. She would need to stop at a store to get a better coat before she headed to the island. Never mind that she blew most of her savings on the best winter weather gear she could find in Miami, which wasn’t the place to buy for a Michigan winter.
A hand tapped her on the shoulder. She turned and found herself having to look up at a man with chiseled features. She sucked in a breath. She always had a weakness for tall, dark, and handsome.
“Are you Tess?” he asked.
She nodded. If this was her boss, she was in so much trouble.
Roadtrips and Romance (Omega Mu Alpha Brothers Book 5) Page 16